TWO people were taken to hospital last night suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation after a house fire in Padiham.
Station officer Steve Cope said the incident could have been more serious because they had been called out to a fictitious road accident by a malicious caller just 20 minutes before they were called to the Victoria Road fire.
He said: "If that malicious call had come in at around same time at the call to the fire we could have been seriously delayed in getting to the house fire."
The fire broke out in the hallway of a property in Victoria Road after clothes or curtains fell on to a gas heater.
The occupant and a neighbour who tried to put the fire out were outside the property when fire crews arrived and had to be taken to Burnley General Hospital for treatment. Firefighters used a hose reel and breathing apparatus to extinguish the blaze that severely damaged part of the hallway.
They also gave the two casualties oxygen until the ambulance crew arrived on the scene.
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